The present invention relates generally to litter boxes, and particularly to a method and apparatus for collecting and recycling litter material lodged in the paws of cats.
Certain animals, such as cats, ferrets, rabbits, guinea pigs, hamsters, reptiles and birds, are capable of being trained to routinely defecate and urinate in specialized receptacles, generally referred to as litter boxes. With respect to cats and certain other animals, most commercially available litter materials are typically comprised of fine-size particles. These fine-size particles are typically comprised of clay; however other materials such as cellulosic materials (e.g., pine mulch, wheat products, etc.) have recently been proposed as alternatives to clay materials These litter materials are generally placed in the litter box to a desired depth. A protective material, generally referred to as a liner, is typically placed either at the bottom of the litter box or, alternatively, around the entire litter box, prior to the introduction of the litter material. In this manner, the contents of the litter box may be discarded by simply removing the liner from the litter box, without having to handle the contents themselves.
One problem associated with the use of litter materials is that these fine-size particles tend to become lodged within various areas of the animal""s paws, such as between the digits; on the pads of the paw; or on, or in, the fur surrounding the paw. Thus, when the animal exits the litter box and begins walking away from the litter box, these fine-size particles are typically dislodged from the animal""s paw whereupon they fall onto the floor area outside of the litter box. The vast majority of these dislodged particles are unsoiled, and could theoretically be safely and hygienically recycled back into the litter box.
Having dislodged litter materials on the floor area outside of the litter box creates an unpleasant, wasteful, and potentially unhealthy situation. These litter materials are typically rather gritty and can potentially irritate the soles of unclad feet or, alternatively, create a slick surface for the soles of certain shoes. Furthermore, these dislodged litter particles are difficult to completely clean up due to their relatively small size. Additionally, discarded litter materials, especially those which are not biodegradable (e.g., clay litters), are a major source of pollution. Finally, these litter materials, especially clay litters, typically contain quartz silica dust, which is dangerous to inhale or ingest.
Therefore, there exists a need for a method and apparatus for collecting and recycling litter materials lodged in the paws of cats and other animals in a safe, hygienic, economical, and reliable manner.
It is accordingly an object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method for collecting litter materials lodged in the paws of animals, such as, but not limited to, cats.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved method for recycling litter materials lodged in the paws of animals, such as, but not limited to, cats.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for collecting litter materials lodged in the paws of animals, such as, but not limited to, cats.
It is another object of the present invention to provide a new and improved apparatus for recycling litter materials lodged in the paws of animals, such as, but not limited to, cats.
In order to overcome the aforementioned disadvantages and achieve the aforementioned objects, the present invention provides a method and apparatus for collecting and recycling litter materials lodged in the paws of animals, such as, but not limited to, cats, in accordance with the following embodiments.
In accordance with one embodiment of the present invention, an apparatus for collecting and recycling litter material lodged in the paw of an animal that has stepped in litter material contained in a litter box, comprises:
a base, the base having a top surface and a bottom surface, the base having a substantially C-shaped upwardly depending wall member extending along a peripheral edge of the base; and
a plurality of elongated raised members, the plurality of elongated raised members being disposed on at least a portion of the top surface of the base, each elongated raised member being positioned substantially parallel to an adjacent elongated raised member.
In accordance with another embodiment of the present invention, a method for collecting and recycling litter material lodged in the paw of an animal that has stepped in litter material contained in a litter box, comprises the steps of:
a) providing an apparatus comprising:
a base, the base having a top surface and a bottom surface, the base having a substantially C-shaped upwardly depending wall member extending along a peripheral edge of the base; and
a plurality of elongated raised members, the plurality of elongated raised members being disposed on at least a portion of the top surface of the base, each elongated raised member being positioned substantially parallel to an adjacent elongated raised member;
b) placing the apparatus adjacent to the litter box;
c) allowing the animal to step onto the apparatus such that the animal""s paw contacts at least a portion of the plurality of elongated raised members, wherein the litter material is dislodged from the animal""s paw;
d) collecting the dislodged litter material; and
e) optionally recycling the dislodged litter material to the litter box.
A more complete appreciation of the present invention and its scope can be obtained from understanding the accompanying drawings, which are briefly summarized below, the following detailed description of the invention, and the appended claims.